Windling Stair Knob–Gingercake Mountain, 3 summits
13.8 mi · ▲ 3,073 ft · 6 hr 8 min
Windling Stair Knob–Gingercake Mountain, 3 summits is a 13.8-mile out-and-back in Linville Gorge Wilderness near Cold Springs, NC. The route passes Gingercake Mountain before reaching Windling Stair Knob at the turnaround, 6.9 miles in. It climbs 3,073 ft, with sections as steep as 21% grade. It scores 46/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Windling Stair Knob–Gingercake Mountain, 3 summits
13.8 mi · ▲ 3,073 ft · 6 hr 8 min
Elevation 2,457–4,163 ft
Out & Back · Linville Gorge Wilderness
Trailhead: 35.94193, -81.89438
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 82°F / low 64° · precip 20% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 7:03 AM · sunset 7:53 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Jonas Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftPass Gingercake Mountain.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Raspberry Ridge, heading NE.
- 1.2 miTurn left, heading N.
- 1.9 miContinue straight onto Steels Creek Trail, heading E.
- 300 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.9 miBear right, heading NE.
- 0.7 miSharp right, heading NW.
- 0.3 miReach Windling Stair Knob, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.4 miSharp left, heading SW.
- 0.7 miBear left, heading NE.
- 0.9 miTurn left, heading S.
- 2.4 miTurn right onto Raspberry Ridge, heading E.
- 1.2 miBear left, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Jonas Ridge Trail, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.3 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.5 mi in (~21 min). Leave by 7:12 PM for the 7:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:19 PM — 0 min before dark. Trailhead visible from the viewpoint
More from this trailhead
- Hawksbill Mountain–Gingercake Mountain, 5 sights 7.3 mi · ▲ 2,126 ft
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